Doorframe setting gauge



April 28, 1953 A. J. KRONQUIST DOORFRAME SETTING GAUGE 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Feb. 14, 1950 2 u I m AB h M x W A I I l I I I I I I'll" M fi A a a, 3 q, n 5/ 4, M l i 4. w

Patented Apr. 28, 1953 UNITED? sir-Me This invention relates =toa. doo frameisettings; gauge, and has for one of its -objects the"provision 5-5 of means for enabling a Workman-t quickly: and acourately'set thejambs-and headofa doorifram so that the iambs are== actua11ysverticalratia .=1.

points -therea1ong,-andsoethetethe head or' 'nppeni end-of the frame is horizontals-i.

A normal door-opening-inthe, frameworks-of a house comprisesaa pair. of-horizonta11yi spaced vertically extending. members and a head member.- a 0 extending across or between their auppe-r ends;: These rnerribers are usually fitwo inehiby. four. inc' 9. pieces-and nc'great attempt is madezfor;precisewraccuracy-in setting the upright: members vertical. l

nor the horizontally extending-Ahead h membeitia v'15 horizontal. The door frame that includes-j ambs and a head-' are intended to easily 1 fit; within the area, defined by the-aforesaid members With-the; jambs. extending alongsideithe opposed fiacesiofxy the upright. members and [the head, below; the; 120

head members- Theaccuracy with \whichntheiidoor frame; is seti in the. door. opening defined byes-the; members) .a above described determines the; speed; with; whit; the doorwillbezhung in saididooriifram v it will: also. determine to .a great.:,extent; the; ac curacy with .whiohwthe .dOOIIwiS -hung A skilled. and fast workman. may; hang; 1 about ei hi zgduelis during an. eight h0ur dayi. Such- Qrkmen arer: highly paid and if the doorgframesfare, badly se they may notbe able toehang more thaninve six doors a day and-:even thQ$iid O1TSrmiyw necessity, be poorly fitte With the present ns.0f h q rs a Wes-is me n st i b e eby nebli, v skilleciin hanging doors to hang oons'derabl o e o r ch ideyat an; haetfiweend-wees doors will be far more accurately hung;

the accurate; feet are usually quite aeg ratewvith V e .emcee-t ear ulet sm 91 i 9%,: n W their. u p e dl wee-i d ee n i el l d Ii. angles to th v t a -1ed e% ene see eq se iiia the regulationdistance awhenwthe id oo -frame n is rectangular with the jambs verticalfand; spaced 1 the regulation distance for vthe doorgandu wheni the head .is at right anglesto ther jar nbswjiand the sill is alsosat right angles tothe jainb when; ed f lio e d r 'livt ere Y -li fleplan I e i y to b ne b t m n ethang s the; doors. i

Thepresent invention-flees, not require-any; unusual skill on the part of. ,theworkman,v and may be collap sedio a compactflsize whentnot in 1,

2 and; 25

A ss tili tfu-rthemobject; of;-:t-hewinvention is the;

proeisionioia doonframesettinggaugethat may" be used by a Workmam; facing=,in-.either direction towand. therrframezopening;

Other-iobjectsr-and advantagesswiil: .appear in it the description-and: i-nithei-idrawingszz. i

In; ;the-..drawinss;:

Fig; 1 is a sidefviemofza doorazframe in the; doors openingsi-inga :builclingr,with v the; gauge ofwthisw invention i in? said; frame inzzposition. for 1156?;

Fig. 12 is an enlargeddcross'sectional view; taken;

indengthto accommodate the same ;to the sheet.

FigtB. is an;enlarged:crossseetional :.view taken 42 is an enlareechcross eectionaliviewtaken:-

tionaioviewiof;Partiof the yerticalp standard of g the: an moetail, the :doom ene i-nex it e f ameframe; building; normallycomprises i. a pair of with-as seen; in High ;1. v

ofrmem ersze -ta may latter y.

emb rs-t! 2 :4. anes qeei v (Fig.1)

d file-er hey. w qenee eew 1e e en em tending.

s .a-hov d pawl 1e1 --,w1th: member; and engagement ith; theh i a nt o a ;d pni eme eom i v i of hori paged ertically extending j amhs or Jami) head neot s the ripper ends of jamhs l; 8 andis directly be19\y: the= hea ernberul he e ee eiwee paces 2,

f is to permit setting .thejjjainhsand head Bso that 1 in e s i ey d e gmexnhersfli 2 is such I nor naliyie'xistbetween. jainh 7- and rnenmioenh,;and betweenlmember.2 i The head 9 mayhalsolbe slightlyr spaeed-irom the, h ad; member A. as v indicated at theriamhs. lwillgbe; vertical and a the {heads horizontaii into. said .spaces 2 3,114 Jet rthe ldesiredl points 7 to square thelframe, and the jambs andhead' e h n e edi i e;membe s 5 1 n 1 possible, since the jamb may be vertical in one direction and inclined in the other, or it may be warped so that it is vertical at one point along its length, but not vertical at another point. After the frame setter has finished his job to the best of his ability, the door hanger must hang the door in the frame, and he attempts to shape the edges of the door so as to approximate the linear contour of the jambs and head of the frame. If the jambs are too narrowly spaced, a considerable amount must be planed off one of the door edges at considerable waste. If the jambs are warped, little can be done, and if they are not vertical, the edges must be planed to different depths along the edge to attempt to follow the inclination of the jamb.

The present invention provides an elongated vertical standard, generally designated 29 that is absolutely straight along its outer edge.

Inasmuch as the standard 29 must extend from substantially head 9 to floor 6, a distance usually in excess of six feet by about eight inches, or 6 feet, 8 inches, the same is preferably made in two portions, there being an upper portion 2| and a lower portion 22. These portions are preferably made from a good hardwood, such, for example, as mahogany. This hardwood is initially in strips or pieces that may be about one and one half by three and one half inches in cross sectional contour, and across one of the corresponding edges of said strips are metal face plates or strips 24, 25 respectively secured to strips 2|, 22 (Fig.

The strips or face plates 24,. 25 are preferably substantially wider than the edges of the wooden pieces 2|, 22 to which they are secured, hence they will extend oppositely outwardly of the opposite sides of said pieces as indicated at 2B, 21 in Fig. 2. The projecting portion 26 of each strip 24, 25 terminates in a right angle flange 28, and these projections are respectively backed by strips 29 that are triangular in cross sectional contour, and that may also be of wood and glued or otherwise secured to the opposite sides of the strips 2|, 22. These backing pieces merely fill the reentrant angles between the said opposite sides of the strips 2|, 22 and the projecting portions 26, 2'! of the metal strips 24, 25. The portions 2'! may continue over the outer exposed side of the strips 29 that are against said portions, as best seen at 39 (Fig. 3). It is to be understood that the triangular strips 29 and the flanges 28 do not continue past the adjacent ends of strips 2|, 22 when the latter are in end to end abutting relation (Fig. 5).

The strip 22, which is the lowermost strip of the pair, has an upwardly projecting dowell 32 at its upper end that is adapted to fit into a complementarily formed recess in the lower end of the upper strip 2| for securing said strips in longitudinal alignment with their outer corresponding sides and edges flush at the juncture between said strips. The lower end portion of the upper strip 2| is provided with a cross bolt 33 and the upper end of the upwardly projecting dowel 32 is formed with an upwardly opening slot 34 (Fig. 5) that is adapted to pass said bolt when said strips are together in alignment. Upon tightening the thumb nut 35 on said bolt, the two strips 2 I, 22 will be securely locked together.

The two oppositesides of the strips 2 I, 22 along the edges remote from the metal face plates 24,

25 are formed with outwardly opening grooves 36 (Fig. 3) that are rectangular in cross sectional contour, and that extend parallel with the edges and sides of the strips 2|, 22. The grooves each of the sides of strips 2| are in longitudinal alignment with the corresponding grooves in lower strip 22. The said grooves in the upper strip 2| have rectangular channel members 38 fitted therein with their open sides opening oppositely outwardly relative to the strip 2 I. Lower strip 22 has similar channel members 39 fitted in the grooves in said lower strip.

Channel members 38 terminate short of the lower ends of the grooves in which they are secured while the upper ends of the channel members 39 (Fig. 5) carried in the grooves in the lower strip 22 project upwardly, and are adapted to abut the lower ends of channels members 36 when the strips 2|, 22 are in longitudinal alignment. Thus the channel members 38, 32 are definitely in alignment at their junctures. Inasmuch as said channel members constitute guide ways for slidably retaining a gauge-arm on the standard 29 for sliding the length of the latter, it is essential that I the juncture between the channel members be in absolute alignment when the strips forming said standard are secured together. Screws 46, 4| may respectively secure the upper ends of channel members 38, 39 to the adjacent end portions of strips 2 I, 22 as seen in Fig. 5. This structure at the joint between strips 2|, 22 also materially contributes to the rigidity of the joint.

While, as above mentioned, the separation of strips 2|, 22 is made possible by the central joint connecting them, it is also submitted that this structure materially increases the accuracy of the standard as a straight edge, which is highly desirable. A single strip of metal or wood that is over six feet in length and that remains straight, is almost impossible to obtain, whereas it is relatively simple to provide a straight piece that is no more than three or four feet in length, and such shorter pieces will not tend to warp nor to become distorted if selected with reasonable care.

The opposite sides of the strips 2|, 22 may be relieved slightly by shallow central grooves or recesses 45 extending longitudinally thereof, and which recesses also provide finger grips for easily holding the standard by the hand.

The upper piece or strip 2| is preferably formed with a through opening 26 that extends longitudinally of said strip, and which opening is slightly below the eye level of the average man standing beside the standard when the lower end of the latter is upright and is supported at its lower end on the floor 6.

Extending across this opening and secured to said strip 2| at their ends are a pair of horizontal spirit levels 48, 49 (Fig. 5) that extend at right angles to each other and that are respectively parallel with two adjacent right angle sides of the strip. These spirit levels are fully protected against injury, as they are within the planes of the opposite sides and edges of the strip 2 I.

A bracket member 59 (Fig. 1) is provided or formed with upper and lower pairs of shoes 5|, with the shoes of each pair being inopposed relation (Figs. 1, 2) and fitting within the oppositely outwardly opening channel members 38, 39 carried by the standard 29 for sliding longitudinally of said standard. This bracket mem ber carries an arm 52 that extends at a right angle to the standard 29, and which arm is in two sections made up of a horizontally elongated laterally opening channel member 54, being a vertical, horizontally extending bottom or closed side 55 (Fig. 4), and upper and lower sides 5t, 5'! that extend convergently in direction transverse- 1v 0? th le g h oi the arm and away from the lIDBI'm-nd imwenredeeszozt the-hottormfiiwanda striptelescopicallymlidalblein-sagidzchannelm ber aswillbeilater described.

"The outer end. of said channel. member. 455 is open, and a strip 25.9 -.prefierably::ofxwood, sslidably extends -'into.-..sai.d .open end; the extemal cross sectionaloontour of i said strip heingisuch aszto correspondwit-h that :otthe inner .fanes..ofsaid channel member M n-once the :sides:.=5:6, .51 will hold the strip :59 therein, and at right angles to the; standard .21].

strip :59 is formed with :ax-slot t! extending longitudinally there-oi and theschannel member 54 carries a. clamping bolt 62 with. a thumb nut 63 thereon for :clampin'g -the strip 592110 Ich'annel member. 54 at any desired degree of: extensionoi' the strip 59' (Fig. 14)

From the foregoing, 'itwill dbe. seen "that the strip. ill-sand zclrannelzmemben 51 provide two telescopic sections of: anarm that extends at rightangles to the-standard.- 29. and 'thati'the upper/edge of the channel. member omsectiorr 5d and the face plates-.24; .2 5 on "standard. 20 may simultaneously engage the. laterally inwardly facing 1 side of either :of the .jambs 1.5 8. and the lower surface of the head fil zwhen thefloracket carrying the section 15 3 is .atthe top of thestandand. as .seen: in Fig. l.

"The. outer :end. of sectionsor strip: SQ/carries a plate lll (Figs. 2, 4) that isndisposed in-a vertical plane :that .is ,1 in parallel. opposed relation to the plane-in. which plate'sslM; 25 on standard are disposed. 'Ihis plate-1i)- projects laterally from the outer endoof strip 5'9 to the same side as theportions ltof plates 24, 25. and is formed witha vertically extending rflange Jl2along :i-ts outer edge thatis remote from strip :59. :Flange iz-exten-ds in a direction away from thefiang'e 2-8: and is in the same plane. as'zflange 2% In operation, assuming therdesined finished distancebetween thejambs L 8 is. three feet or thirty six inches, the distance between the oppositely outwardly facin-g surfacesof the plates T0, 24 and-l0, 25' along a: l-iorizor-ital line in each instance, should be-three-feet, and this is readily obtained by observing the numbered e-raduatiens "13' on the innerside of the: 'bettom fisofthe channelsections= 54 (Fig; l). When the inner end of the strip 59; is evenwiththegraduation 36 or 3, according to whet-her thegraduations are in inches or in feet, and'fracti-onsthereof, the distance between the said oppositely outwardly facing surfaces o; said plates along al-i-or-izontal line will be thirty-sixinches or three feet. Thenext :step .setting the. door. .frame is to position the lower end of the standard 20 on the floor or sill adjacent one of the jambs. A downwardly directed pointed projection 14 011 the lower end of the standard, will engagethe floor to prevent slippagelof-said-lowerend.

When the jamb in Fig. 1. is vertical, theeflanges 2.8. of plates 24, 25 will engage the jambi-rom top to bottom and the outer. faces of saidplates will; also engage the inwardly ia-cing surface of a iem i positi n. o h i m l an be determined by observing the pirit levels. AB,- 49. e ee ereme be r flfl ri from wert l ns gth. 9? theiemrwosae d fi sm piec o wopd nsh l a o th space l2 between the 3 mb I and member 1 to either force the jamb inwardlyor--else the jamb is forced toward said-member by nailing. In any event the jamb is nailedsto the member 1', preferably by'finishing nails such as indicated at 19 in Fig. 3 in dot dash lines. It is: important .6 to: note that theonlntesi zfliizzis such as..to.-permit:.=naihng withmitzremovina the standard. :shonldithe iambsbe vertical without necessitating the. forcing of thersarme; toward or away .fromithe member L meyerthelesssa filler, such. aspieces .oi- :shmgles-,;are placed oridri en into space ill 2;,to provide a rigi'clebaokingifomthe jam-b .at;v the points .wherthemails are driten intojthe member I.

*Byrthe foregoingizsten. thezjamb leanreadily beset. vertically inbothd'irections dffijmhlil an les to each. other, evenzthongh-part -:of.the.iamb may be twhtedvorwarped. 'Snchowarpagesisxquite. frequent. and .has aheretoforeescaped: notice-of the workman installing...the":(10.01 in :many: in.- stances, unless :the. ordinary level is placed :on the portion ofthe door that isout-ofvverticalh and eventhentheworkman usuallygassumes thattheentire *jamb is out of plnmb, andgthewrectgifyi-ng of the :Warped; part ..-'may "throwthe. I remainder out ofzverti'cal.

with:the-presentiprenthliithe workman s e exa tly Where rectificatiomis .flfiquiredgalqng the: entire length of: the --jamb-.-;a"nd icameasily make the desiredcorrections.

Qnce the. .jamb' T: iSi vertical-and nailedyto the member [,the.arm-52.vwhichiycomprises the sections. made up ofstrip :59 and channel=.;member he is slipped to la-hev upper end. of;-.the:standard the position shown in fnllzline :iniEig, 1. :;If. the head it is not at right angles to the jamb'; 'l,;;.this fact {will instantly appearcsmoetkth upp ed of-the ohannelmemberisat; ig .anslesyto. the lates-2o; 2:5 .011. standard.intends these:p ate willbaflat against the tomb 11:.when the latter is set vertically... .lf-atlieheadfisanote to jamb I it is read-ily secured the use of. shingles or:,=wedges i as. employed for. fiamb: I.

When thejambi lissvertical and the-.-arm- 52 is. at the top of the standardthejamb 8 should. practically: touchqthe ntwardlyz faei-n 1 side, of plate Fla. and flange. 1 'd the edge of thejramb it as; seen -in=-Fig. 2 I If the jamb: Lis spaced too; greata -distance from jamb' 8, .:wedg es.; may be; driuen into; space 1.3 :between jamb 8 and the member 3 that is alongside. the

latter (to ,move ity oven toward; jamb. 1. When; the-upper. end. .oi iamb. 971 mnerly spac d m iam the arm-:5 m mbo s n e j nwn a dly towardpositiomlfi, indicated moot ash lines, andii th.e..ia;mb;8;,i-s;.not t caLt s ia ct will be-..readily:zseen. from shiptbetvteen plate 10;.a-nd the tomb. emestsps ei riambramFr mm.-. bemoyed; tog theaylowllmq t 9S" 7 y rections .infthe. position, oi ja between posi-- s; it, mar.tewmadeia xt e er s me e to. position Hi. I

initially corrected; inasmuch be nsed from either. side of; 3th many times, theoperatornnays ish.- goeheckrthe jambs from theedges'zcppusite he on; 7 engaged thei flamgesr 28,931

late'will e a echecking operation; This may be done by placing the standard against jamb 8 and along the edge opposite the one that is shown as being engaged at the present time by flange 12.

The nailing of ajamb 8 to the member 2 that is alongside the same is readily accomplished during the procedure of moving the arm 52 vertically while flange 12 engages the edge of said jamb for the reason that there is ample space alongside the plate 70 for nailing. When the gauge is removed, and the jambs are set, another nail may be driven through the jambs and into members I, 2 to complete the proper degree of securement between said jambs and the building frame members adjacent thereto.

The operation of setting the jambs is one that is quickly performed and with the greatest accuracy. The door to be hung is, as has been explained, relatively accurate in its dimensions, hence the minimum amount of work remains for properly hanging the door. In ordinary practice, the Workman setting the jambs will take substantially less time to set the jambs by use of the present invention, than formerly, and a much higher degree of accuracy is obtained, thereby making it possible for the person hanging the doors to complete his work in a fraction of the time heretofore required, and to accomplish it with a much greater degree of accuracy than by the conventional methods;

I claim:

1. A door frame setting gauge for setting the horizontally spaced vertically extending jambs and horizontal head of said frame comprising, an

upright standard adapted to extend substantially ment rigid with the lower end of said standard for engaging the floor to prevent slipping of said lower end.

2. A door frame setting gauge for setting the horizontally spaced vertically extending jambs and horizontal head of said frame comprising, an

upright standard adapted to extend substantially from said head to the lower ends of said jambs, an arm extending at right angles to said standard a distance substantially equal to the desired distance between said jambs when said standard is between said jambs, means for securing said arm to said standard for sliding longitudinally of the latter, and a spirit level on said standard for positioning said standard vertical in the plane of said jambs, said standard being in several separable elongated portions for dismantling, means for releasably securing said portions together in alignment including guide ways for one end of said arm extending longitudinally of said standard and in longitudinal alignment, said arm including projections extending into said guideways in slidable engagement therewith, said guideways being metal channel members several of which extend across the junctur between said portions, but terminate adjacent said juncture.

3. A door frame setting gauge for setting the horizontally spaced, vertically extending jambs and the horizontal head of said frame comprising, an upright standard adapted to extend substantially from said head to the lower ends of said'jambs, vertically extending oppositely out-' wardly opening grooves formed in two opposite sides of said standard providing guideways extending substantially" the full length of said standard, a bracket'member provided with rigid oppositely inwardly extending projections slidably fitted within said grooves for movement of said member the length of said grooves, an arm carried by said bracket member extending at right angles to said standard, said arm being formed in two elongated sections one being secured at one end to said member and the other being telescopically slidable on said one member to an extended position in which the overall lengths of said sections is substantially the distance between said jambs, means for securing said sections in said extended position, and spirit levels carried by said standard for use in positioning said standard in a vertical position with the said jambs parallel to said standard and with their corresponding side edges in a common vertical plane. 4. A door frame setting gauge for setting the horizontally spaced, vertically extending jambs and the horizontal head of said frame comprising, an upright standard adapted to extend substantially from said head to the lower ends of said jambs, vertically extending oppositely outwardly opening grooves formed in two opposite sides of said standard providing guideways extending substantially the full length of said standard, a bracket member provided with pairs of rigid oppositely inwardly extending projections spaced longitudinally of said standard and slidably fitted within said grooves for movement of said member the length'of said grooves, an arm carried by said bracket member extending at right angles to said standard, said arm being formed in two elongated sections, one being secured at one end to said member and the other being telescopically slidable on said one member to an extended position in which the overall length of said sections is substantially the distance between said jambs, means for securing said sections in said extended position, and spirit levels carried by said standard for use in positioning said standard in a vertical position with the said jambs parallel to said standard and with their corresponding side edges in a common vertical plane, said spirit levels being positioned slightly below the eye level of an upright man of average height when the standard is vertical with its lower end on the floor at the lower end of said frame.

ALFRED J. KRONQUIST.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 311,386 Taft Jan. 27, 1885 481,245 Ritterbeck Aug. 23, 1892 493,566 Steedman Mar. 14, 1893 509,582 Ort Nov. 28, 1893 538,715 Tozier May 7, 1895 1,003,517 Scelza Sept. 19, 1911 1,101,517 Ahlvin June 30, 1914 1,192,413 Hallberg -1. July 25, 1916 1,623,117 Holland Apr. 5, 1927 1,627,175 Hansen May 3, 1927 1,687,532 Waltke Oct. 16, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 271,596 Germany g Mar. 14, 1914 

